Nataša Pirc Musar, a lawyer and one-time attorney for former first lady Melania Trump, was elected Slovenia's first female president on Sunday, Politico and The Associated Press reported.
Musar won the presidency in a runoff election against conservative Anže Logar, the country's former foreign minister. With nearly all of the votes tabulated, Musar led Logar 54 percent to 46 percent, according to Slovenian media reports obtained by AP.
Musar's election highlights the small European nation's rising liberal bloc. Slovenia's center-left coalition also won a victory in parliamentary elections this past April.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"My first task will be to open a dialogue among all Slovenians," Musar said in a victory speech, per AP. "In the democratic election, Slovenians have shown what kind of a country they want."
Logar conceded the race, and said he hoped Musar "will carry out all the promises" of her campaign.
Musar becomes the first woman to be elected president in Slovenia since the country became independent following the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991. While the role is mostly ceremonial, the president does nominate a number of top officials.
A well-known attorney and human rights advocate in Slovenia, Musar worked on a number of high-profile cases in the country. However, her most prominent client remains Melania Trump, a native of Slovenia, who hired Musar during her husband's presidency.
In 2016, Musar and Trump filed a lawsuit against a Slovenian magazine for suggesting that she had worked as a high-end escort, BBC News reported. The case was settled out of court.
-
5 sleeper hit cartoons about Sleepy DonCartoon Artists take on cabinet meetings, a sleepy agenda, and more
-
Political cartoons for December 6Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include a pardon for Hernandez, word of the year, and more
-
Pakistan: Trump’s ‘favourite field marshal’ takes chargeIn the Spotlight Asim Munir’s control over all three branches of Pakistan’s military gives him ‘sweeping powers’ – and almost unlimited freedom to use them
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
